Having absolutely fallen in love with Chloe Gong's 1920s Shanghai setting in the These Violent Delights and Our Violent Ends, I couldn't wait to re-visit this world for Foul Lady Fortune, which is the first book in a spin-off duology set five years after the events of Our Violent Ends.

Rosalind, who has been working as an assassin for the nationalists under the code name 'Fortune', and Orion, who is a nationalist spy, are teamed up for an undercover mission to investigate a series of murders and expose a terrorist plot. To blend in, they pose as a married couple, but each is pursuing their own agenda in this game of secrets and conspiracies.

The book has a mix of characters encountered previously and new protagonists. Whilst it isn't necessary to have read TVD and OVE to follow the plot of Foul Lady Fortune, prior knowledge of events and characters definitely added to the enjoyment for me, so I'd recommend picking these up first. Gong loosely based her characters and plot on a Shakespearean classic, As You Like It. Pacing and plot twists made it really hard to put this book down, and I absolutely loved the slow-burn and the sharp dialogues. As for the ending of this first installment, all I can say is that the sequel can't come soon enough - I'm dying to find out how the story continues.


A beautiful read, which left me feeling raw and with a massive book hangover. Chloe Gong definitely delivered a brilliant finale to this story, and I can’t recommend it enough!

A massive thank you to Hodder & Stoughton and NetGalley for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for the E-ARC in return for an honest review.
I'm not going to lie, I struggled to settle into this story at first due to the Asian culture and vocabulary as it's all unknown to me. But with a quick Google search and the fact that the story itself was so intriguing and exciting, I managed to finish the book, and oh my goodness, I'm so glad I did! The spies, the factions, and the supernatural elements all had me hooked! And the characters! For someone who loves a good romance, the small moments of romantic situations were just enough to keep me wanting more but slow-burn enough to keep me guessing "Will they, won't they?".
All in all, a very enjoyable read, tho now I have to go pick up 'These Violent Delights' duology as maybe should have read that first due to the spoilers in this book for that story, oops!

This book was stunning!!

Chloe Gong's writing is so beautiful and descriptive. I really enjoyed the historical element and assassin vibes this book has to offer. It's got such a great pace that remains throughout the book. With memorable characters and a twisty plot, this made for a really enjoyable read! I can't wait to see what the author does next! I really do want to reread These Violent Delights too, just to catch any easter eggs in this one!

Highly recommend.

First of all, thank you NetGalley and the Publisher for the ARC!

3.5 starts

I'm a big fan of Chloe Gong's first duology (These Violent Delights/Our Violent Ends) so I was desperate to get my hands on this one. It was really nice seeing some old characters and I feel like it holds the "quality standard" of her other books. The characters have enough charisma and the book has some very interesting scenes – related or not to the main characters romance arc, which was my bigger interest.

But to be completely honest, the "outer" plot didn't hold my attention as much as it did on her previous books. The political conflicts were not so interesting to me and at some point were a bit boring. It's not necessarily going to be a problem for everyone, but if you're interested in reading the book you should know that those things are there.

It was a very nice read and I will definitely read the next one, but the previous duology is still superior to me!

PS: I did take a long time to read it and that's because the format of the ARC wasn't great to me, sadly. Reading on my phone isn't comfortable and it's a shame they didn't provide us with Kindle-friendly copies.

A thought-provoking and beautiful story, filled with drama and high stakes. Gong's writing has improved immensely since TVD and I can't wait to see where she goes. Loved it.

With thanks to NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I haven’t read Their Violent Delights or Their Violent Ends (the previous duology) and aside from learning Rosalind and her lover were part of Romeo & Juliet’s deaths in early twentieth century Shanghai there aren’t spoilers as such. I think the bigger misunderstanding was that this would be more of a romance. Don’t get me wrong, I wasn’t looking for romance in this tale of Nationalist, Communist and Japanese spies all mixed up with a serial killer. Although two agents pretending to be married… it was refreshing how un-steamy, how at arms length the beginning to care for each other is - Rosalind herself notes she’s more demisexual albeit not in those terms.

What can I say about the novel? The central mystery is solid and comes together well. The characters are all distinct enough, but I would have preferred more slice of life scenes. I would have preferred more distinction between which language is being spoken in multi-lingual Shanghai. For a spy novel there’s an appropriate amount of action and the points of view work well. There’s a sub-plot with the rival team (who happen to be siblings of the main team and actually make more sense!) who we see occasionally too. Alisa is great. There’s an annoying younger sister, former gangsters and young adults running around in a world on brink of breaking further. Initially there’s a lot of descriptive set-up for scene changes but this eases off as set pieces repeat, and the story gets going - the style may well work better for you than it did for me. Again, I appreciated the narrative focus on plot and character motivation in this one.

Thank you NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for the book. Here I leave my honest review!

I love this book so much! I didn't know at first that I will love this book like this. Disclaimer first, I didn't read the book before by Chloe but I know what happen there and yes this book continue from that event. So if you still read it or plan to read it then you can't read this now.

For newbie in this world, I didn't have much difficulties to understand the world building or what kind of atmosphere Chloe want to build here. So, it's okay just to read this book.

I really love the conflict that arise here. Spy, nation's traitor, experiment, mass murder all of this hook me from the start. The book is quite thick but I was not tired while following the story. I enjoy every moments share in this book, and Chloe didn't stall to break the conflict, so readers won't get bored following the story line. The book itself full of surprises and twists, I can't predict anything while I read this. I just enjoy everything author give me.

It has multi POV but I assure you will not confuse whose talking right now even it didn't have any clue / title per chapter. With this multi POV, this book has so many characters but it is easy to understand each character. Maybe because some character has their own POV, so we will know what's happening on their side. And of course my favorite is Rosalind and Orion, well more of Orion. I didn't know what kind of character she had on previous book, but I believe that what affects her character in this book.

The relationship between Rosalind and Orion is so good! Yes it full of disbelief at first but their bantering is interesting to follow, and how they develop their relationship, how they care each other I really love it!

“the world runs on love, not suspicion”
"Love was a curse. Nothing good ever came out of it"

I thoroughly enjoyed every page of this book, and it had everything one could ever want in a novel!

Rosalind was the best main character, I loved her! everything about her character was executed perfectly and I loved seeing all sides to her during her chapters. She is a true icon and I loved that this book tied in with TVD and OVE too ✨
Orion was also a wonderful main character too, their relationship was amazing. I adore the fake marriage/marriage of convenience trope as well as the sunshine x grumpy trope as well!!

the pace was just right, it was slow to begin with but picked up massively and was really exciting during the last half of the book. I think this links in well to the plot twists - OMG. I didn’t see it coming at all and it was unexpected! I love that once you learn about the twists everything begins to makes sense... it hits the nail on the head.

I really liked the switch in perspectives throughout, although it was slightly confusing so at times it was hard to figure out who’s chapter it was. I really liked the switch in perspectives throughout, although it was slightly confusing because at times it was hard to figure out specifically whose chapter it was. I wouldn’t say this was a con necessarily as it was only sometimes that it was tricky to figure out whose perspective it was.

cons:
- the only main con, was that the political plot line was quite confusing and even by the end I was still slightly confused. it didn’t stop me from loving the book tho and I really enjoyed the historical element too the novel!

I am super looking forward to reading the rest of the series - I think the ending is perfect to start the next book 😌

Foul Lady Fortune-Review

Author: Chloe Gong
Genre: Fantasy, Historical, Retelling, Mystery
Page Count: 528 pages
Age Rating: YA 13+
Representation: Asian inspired setting and characters
Publication Date: 27th of September 2022 (UK)

I can’t wait for this duology!!

Thank you @netgalley @hodder&Stoughton for providing me with this e ARC before publication

Review;
This book captured me. I was originally anticipating this book because I heard it had an aspec lead which I love, and I was intrigued as Chloe is such a popular author. I loved the demisexual rep in this book with all my heart as well as the amazing trans rep.
Chloe Gong write characters in such a charming way you can’t help but love them. While there was time where the plot was slower I still mange to enjoy the book through the characters interaction. I tend not to read mystery book, but I adored this one especially the historical and political aspects as well because they linked in with These Violent delights duology.
The romantic subplot was skilfully incorporated and didn’t take from the rest of the book. This was also my first Fake Marriage trope read and so far, I’m a fan. The banter between the characters was top tier.

Now to the question of Do I need to read These violent delights first?
As a person who has read both books, I would say it’s not essential if you don’t mind spoilers however, I do think that having read These violent delights I had a better understanding of the politics within the book and the history between the characters.
Overall, I am impatiently waiting for the sequel especially after that ending!?

Rating;
4.75 stars

TRIGGER/CONTENT WARNING
Graphic
Violence, Death, Murder
Moderate
Racism, Gore, Gun violence
Minor
Child death, Transphobia, Blood

ONE OF MY MOST ANTICIPATED 2022 READS AND IT DID NOT DISAPPOINT. Chloe Gong has once again succeeded in creating a masterpiece which made me throw my kindle across my bed multiple times. Do the kids still say "I am shooketh" because I am very much so.

So let’s get one thing straight, I’m an idiot! I thought this was a standalone however it does follow on from These Violent Delights and therefore spoiled those books for myself without realising so, be warned!

Anyway off my stupidity and onto the book! Foul Lady Fortune is a spy thriller set in China with an ever encroaching Japan and main character Rosalind is recruited as an assassin turned spy along with a new fake husband. What more could you want?

As my first paragraph says I haven’t read the original duology so I appreciated the world building more than others might as it was my first foray into it. The story however did seem to take a while to get going and once there it was almost at the end of the book. I did enjoy randomly guessing who might have done what though so I would say the suspense was there.

I also enjoyed Rosalind and Orion’s banter, because there is nothing that will endear me more to a book couple than playful banter, that is my love language and will never change!

I think there were slightly too many POVs to keep track of, for my personal taste, but I understand why it was done. I also would have liked slightly more spy/thriller stuff and less angst but it’s YA so what you going to do?

Overall I enjoyed it, made me want to go back and read the original duology, and I will definitely keep an eye out for the sequel to find out how the story ends.

Thank you to Netgalley and Hodder and Stoughton for an Advanced readers copy to review.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for a free ARC in exchange for a review!

First of all, Chloe Gong, you are my hero and my enemy, please never stop and also stop writing incredible books with incredible cliffhangers. ALSO TELL IF ROMA AND JULIETTE ARE ALIVE I CAN'T HANDLE THESE TEENY HINTS PLEASE CONFIRM OR DENY I'M GOING TO SCREAM.

Okay, now that's over, I (obviously) really, really loved this book. It was so exciting to revisit characters and places from These Violent Delights, but with a brand-new Shanghai and Gong's own original story. She has really taken off on her own and crafted an intricate, exciting story within Shanghai's comple 1930's political landscape. I can't even imagine the amount of research that has gone into how atmospheric and alive historical Shanghai is in the book.

Rosalind is a great protagonist, and her introduction is shocking and exciting. Her and Celia's love for each other is so beautiful, and watching Rosalind begin to find herself worthy of loving again, as well as protecting her city was a great story.

And Orion. I love him, and I cannot believe what goes on with him. Obviously, he and Rosalind are a great team... maybe more... But a big romatic highlight was also the amazing relationship between Celia and Oliver! They are so wonderful together and their power as a covert team as well was awesome.

Once again, Gong has smacked me in the face with plot twists and cliffhangers and I loved every second of it. GIVE ME ANOTHER BOOK RIGHT NOW, CHLOE. I MEAN IT.

Five stars.

I have to be honest, I think I enjoyed this far more than I did Chloe Gong’s first duology. And I still quite liked that one. I’m not going to change my previous ratings, but this is on another level. The pacing here, for one, is excellent, Her actions scenes are so much fun and balance the mystery side of the plot well.. She has a real knack when it comes to atmosphere and setting and historical vibes (at least, when Shanghai in the 1930s is concerned) and the foreign language mentions were less in-your-face than in her previous stories (which, at some point, just felt unnecessary). There is no soap opera-esque melodramatic romance. The chemistry between Rosalind and Orion feels more like a refreshing side note instead of the main course and I am eating this up, because I actually want more of their slow burn now. While I did feel a bit lost with all the political shenanigans and I can’t remember anything from As You Like It (which I’m told was the inspiration for this), I know I really like Foul Lady Fortune and I do recommend it.

So far I've liked every book that Chloe Gong writes better than it's predecessor. And I did like These Violent Delights quite a lot already. What I'm saying is that I really, really liked this one and can't wait to read the sequel. My favourite book by Chloe Gong so far.

Foul Lady Fortune is a 1930s Spy-Novel first, Fantasy book second. And I have absolutely no problem with that.
It is, like the preceding Duology, set in Shanghai, a few years after the conclusion of Our Violent Ends. The city with it's different waring political factions makes for a great backdrop.

The Story itself is at the same time pretty simple (infiltrate anewspaper to find out if they are behind a series of murders) and a little to conveluted (I got a little confused with the sheer ammount of double/tripple agents towards the end) but if you pay attention it is a very satisfying read.

The best part of this book are definetely the characters. I like all of them, which is pretty rare. I will say that I did not care about Rosalind at all during the first two books but she grew on me really quickly in this one. I also like Orion and I was delighted to see more of Alisa.
The relationship between Rosalind and Orion was also really well written. It never felt rushed or overly drawn out.

Plus the LGBTQ+ rep is absolutely fantastic. We have a demisexual main character, a bisexual love interest and major bi, trans and aro/ace side characters.

And then the plot twists of course. Had me absolutely shook and were very satisfying.

I can not wait to start the sequel and this one gets 4.5/5 stars from me.

Chloe Gong has done it again, masterfully weaving together lush world-building, her signature gorgeous prose, slick political intrigue, shocking plot twists, and heart-wrenching romance. I'm still yet to recover from the ending.

foul lady fortune was an absolute joy to read. Definitely recommend reading TVD duology first to have a full understanding of what is going on.

I will start by saying that I have not read anything by this author before so I went into this blind and was pleasantly suprised. Full of intrigue and set in 1930's China amidst the threat of Japan invading Shanghai this story follows Rosalind as she is tasked a new mission very different than her usual. Orion will be her partner though I don't think either of them truly know what they are in for! It took a little longer than usual for me to get into this but I pushed through and find I truly enjoyed it and am ready for more!

It's 1931 in Shanghai, and the stage is set for a new decade of intrigue.

Four years ago, Rosalind Lang was brought back from the brink of death, but the strange experiment that saved her also stopped her from sleeping and aging - and allows her to heal from any wound. In short, Rosalind cannot die. Now, desperate for redemption for her traitorous past, she uses her abilities as an assassin for her country.

With Foul Lady Fortune, Gong weaves a sleek, action-packed spy thriller with a dash of romance against the backdrop of 1930s China and the Japanese invasion of Manchuria.

It's five years after the events of Our Violent Ends. Rosalind Lang has become a spy for the Nationalists after a cure for a fever left her immortal. Different factions are again vying for Shanghai - the Communists, the Japanese Empire and the Kuomintang, who have overtaken Shanghai. In the middle of that, someone is killing Chinese citizens by injecting them with strange chemicals. Since the Nationalists suspect the Japanese, Rosalind and agent Orion Hong are sent to investigate, posing as a married couple.

I had a lot of fun reading this. While I wasn't the biggest fan of Gong's previous duology, These Violent Delights, she truly blew it out of the water with this one.

Foul Lady Fortune is based on the Shakespeare play As You Like It, but I would say only the bare bones of the story are kept. Some character names and dynamics are similar, but that's it. The book is more akin to a spy thriller or historical fiction. I myself do not know all that much about Chinese history, but Gong did a great job of giving you enough information to figure out what's happening, while not info dumping.

At the beginning, the details of Rosalind's mission went a bit over my head, but around the halfway mark, I was fully invested in the story and couldn't stop reading. Gong is, again, at her best when she's describing atmosphere and setting. You were transported right into 1930s China from the very first scene. The cat-and-mouse game between the agents and the killer, and, to some extent, between Rosalind and Orion themselves, was thrilling to read about.

However, the exposition could have been smoother. The beginning suffered a bit from too much telling instead of showing when Gong introduced the new characters. For example, we are told that Orion is estranged from his family, which she could have also conveyed through dialogue instead. Moreover, I would have liked there to be more distinctive voices from the different POV characters. As it was, their narration sounded very similar. But these were pretty much my main gripes with the story and after the first quarter, the book improved vastly.

We see a lot of familiar faces in Foul Lady Fortune, like Celia and Alisa, which made me happy, but we also get to know some new characters. I loved Orion and his sister Phoebe a tremendous amount. Orion is charming and funny and his relationships with his siblings and Silas were extremely fun to read about. Orion was easily my favorite character in the book, he gave me Nikolai Lantsov vibes! Gong also connected the different storylines well. The book had far more direction than her previous works.

Rosalind's arc in this book was mainly about the consequence of her actions in Our Violent Ends and the guilt she carries from it. She chooses to work for the Kuomintang as an assassin, which she sees as her way to redemption. I gotta say, her job is really cool. Given the codename Fortune, she poisons leftover members of the White Rose and enemies of the state. Since that codename is secret, however, she has to keep both her real identity and her assassinations a secret from Orion during their mission. Shortly, there is a lot on her plate. While I didn't have an opinion on Rosalind's character in the first duology, I found her struggles here very relatable and I enjoyed reading from her point of view.

Another highlight of the book was the dynamic between Rosalind and Orion. Their banter was A++, I had so much fun reading the scenes of them bickering like an actual married couple. The two have electric chemistry, but even as they grow closer, the reader is wary of the layers upon layers of secrets between them. It was fun seeing spies in a fake marriage. It kind of reminded me of Mr. & Mrs. Smith, only better. The romance in this was a real step-up from These Violent Delights and shows how much Gong has grown as a writer. There were still some scenes that felt a bit trope-y and like she was writing scenes in for TikTok, but it wasn't so bad it took me out of the story.

While the book still has the overall vibes of These Violent Delights, Gong has grown vastly as a writer and her strengths shine through in this book. Her prose is far less clunky and her character work overall better. I'm definitely getting a physical copy of this book soon.

The ending of the book was explosive. Some of the plot twists had me shouting, gasping, crying. I'm only mad I can't read the next book immediately. I gave Foul Lady Fortune 4/5 stars and recommend it to fans of These Violent Delights.

I enjoyed this book, it was easy to read and held my attention. I will be reading more from this author :)